#63 - Some work and some play on a Saturday - Aug 4, 2012

Today was full.  Just full.  I was up late unpacking, and then worked on some things for the office until 1am.  I woke up at 8am with no alarm, ready to get after it.

I had a million things on my plate - I had some more work unpacking in the basement, the garage was stuffed to the gills with packing materials we needed to get rid of, our bedroom and the kitchen are not close to unpacked, the laundry is piling up.  And there were odds and ends as well.  So I puttered around, doing what needed doing.  I lit our second fire to clear out some cardboard the kids had used as lean-to material and to destroy some cardboard pieces used to pack our pictures.  The fire pit is next to where the trampoline used to be.  It was old, so we asked the sellers to remove it.  As I wandered around, looking for things that were appropriate to burn, I noticed these holes in the ground.  And I noticed that the ground was pretty springy.  I think these are rabbit warrens, and that they have an extensive tunnel system.  Cool.  But I didn't see any rabbits.

I put some chemical in the pool, worked in the basement, put up one of our portable shade tents outside the garage and stacked the packing materials under it. 

We're both making a lot of progress, but I had to clear out some of the garage to make the garage even walkable.  Now at least I can walk to everything I need.

After I was done with the fire, I got a shower in, and we all took off for the ward picnic.  It was at Camp Liahona.  I can't get enough of that place.  It was a perfect day - 90 degrees, a little humid, but we're all getting used to it.  It wasn't cloudy, but the sun didn't feel as strong as I expected.  We were all outside for almost 5 hours straight, and nobody got burned. 

Ward functions here are really relaxed.  We showed up an hour and a half after it started, the first burgers and hot dogs were still cooking, the serving table was not set, we had no plates, silverware, or napkins, and half the people were swimming in the lake anyway.  We made do - people came to the grill with just a bun, squirted their condiments on it, and ate.  No worries.  The bishop went out and bought the plastic ware we needed.  I was a go-fer, Katrina was chatting with a friend who came, and the kids were off playing.  Eventually one of the grillers took a break, and I took over to finish cooking. 

There was zero formality to it, aside from a prayer on the food.  Just a relaxed free-for-all.  The kids played - Aria and Christian even took a canoe into the lake.  Jake got in the water and played.  Katrina and I just sat with different people and chatted.  About 5, it was time to roll out.  Not because anybody rang a bell, but because it had been a long hot afternoon, and we had things to do at home.  So I wandered up the hill with Jake, found that Libby had been talking with a sister for a while.  The sister had braided her hair, and Libby was very comfortable with her.  She's comfortable with everyone.  Most people had wandered off, so it was time to put away the chairs and tables, so Christian and I helped with that. 

We had looked for Aria, and while we cleaned up, she appeared.  After people went back down the hill for their things (Aria for her camera, Libby for her clothes), we drove away.  We got home, and we were all tired.  The kids went to the Lego room, and I got a little unpacking done.  We had leftovers for dinner, I put some laundry in, and it was time to sleep.

I didn't get any pictures of the picnic, but we had to stop to get gas on the way out and I got this picture.  I've heard this is illegal, but it's cute anyway.